Search form

Search form

New MBA graduates should focus on networking with alumni and highlight their skills and experience to land a job, advises Scott Shrum, the director of MBA Admissions Research at Veritas Prep. Find alumni working in fields of interest and get to know them, Shrum and other experts suggest. In addition, resumes must also feature experience, not just a degree, they advise. "An MBA helps to highlight your strengths and fill in some knowledge gaps, but there is never a substitute for great, relevant work experience and a track record of professional success," Shrum notes.

Related Summaries

Job seekers should be prepared to answer questions about holes in their resume and challenges to their knowledge or skills, career adviser Vicky Oliver writes. Candidates should thoroughly research their field and the company to demonstrate how their skills fit and how quickly they can learn new ones, she writes. As for gaps between jobs, Oliver recommends talking about lessons that were learned. "Give an answer that shines a positive light on your life experience and turns it into an asset," Oliver advises.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the Senate education appropriations subcommittee Wednesday that a proposed $1 billion Race to the Top competition for higher education would promote college completion. The new program, part of the 2014 federal budget plan, also would help offset some of the state budget cuts in higher education, Duncan said. However, some lawmakers expressed concerns about whether federal grant programs are doing enough for low-population and rural areas.

A tax refund may be just the thing job seekers need to get more education or a certification to improve their job prospects, public relations recruiter Lindsay Olson writes in this blog post. A tax windfall also could pay for interview clothes or a professional look at improving a resume, Olson suggests. "You need to be committed to making yourself more hireable, and if that requires investing time and money in yourself, now is the best time to do so," she writes.

Playing hardball when negotiating salary or using a new job opportunity to get a raise could backfire, writes Allison M. Vaillancourt, vice president for institutional effectiveness and human resources at the University of Arizona, in Tucson. In this blog post, she presents several cases where new job opportunities -- or current jobs -- were lost over salary negotiations. "Asking questions about what might be possible is wiser than issuing ultimatums that may eventually be shot down," Vaillancourt advises.

Be honest and succinct when explaining gaps in employment on your resume, experts advise in this blog post by journalist Hannah Seligson. Keep answers short and to the point and bring the conversation back to how you can help their institution, they suggest. Also, have stories ready to highlight how you used your skills during times of unemployment. "Even something like helping at your child's school or volunteering for a nonprofit can seem relevant," if framed appropriately, Seligson writes.